Molecular alterations in sporadic breast cancer

Breast cancer is a genetic disease. Like other human cancers, it is thought to occur as the result of progressive accumulation of genetic aberrations. These aberrations result in a deviation of the gene expression profiles from that of the normal progenitor cell. In up to 99% of cases, breast cancer is due to solely somatic genetic aberrations without germ-line ones. Considerable progress have already been made in understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying the development and progression of breast cancer. Several extensively studied genes are now well known to be involved. Unfortunately, our ability to make clinically useful interventions on the basis of these data is limited. Because of the involvement of multiple genes and complex pathways in a single cancer cell, the molecular dysfunctioning underlying breast cancer remains to be completely clarified. In a next future, studying the global gene expression of different types of tumors will allow the development of expression profiles unique for a breast cancer, its stage and prognostic category, leading to diagnostic assays and the identification of new therapeutic targets. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.